Thursday 24 March 2011

Return Call re Shaw Trust

I was given a phone number from my Job Centre Adviser which I rang 4 times and eventually left a message.
I got a call back yesterday. It is for 16 hours a week  up to 18 weeks at National Minimum Wage. They have some funding available and they have to encourage a potential Employer to take you on. I was told it is called Work Experience.
Anyway he told me someone will contact me next week to arrange an appointment to discuss in more detail.
The funding and terms sound similar to those for the FJF, Future Job Fund. A Fund set up by the previous Goverment, Jobs in the Public sector. A bit of a joke now as the public sector is having loads of cuts.
I had an Interview for one of these opportunities a few weeks ago which had gone through the Job Centre only to be told that on the day of the Interview the funding had ran out. I guess the interview was experience though.

I have just come in from another training day in effective communication skills. It was quite useful as this can then lead to an accredited course in the open college network. It does help to keep your CV up to date.

I am at the back to work agency tomorrow.  I have been there 3 months. I was referred to one by the Job Centre after I had officially been a Job Seeker for a year. I was then told it was a mistake. They then sent me to another one who then put me in touch with a sub contracted firm. I was given information on what they could do with me or help me with eg one to one time and support for planning next steps, Job and skills matching, help with CV, available courses and opportunities. I have received no help or information at all!!!! I am just a pawn in this game where someone gets money for me being on their books. The agency staff are quite honest and have revealed that they have too many people on their books and can not afford the time and support for individuals so find they can not meet their own targets. I was told they can not in fact do a deal at all for me. I have spoken to a few others who are due to leave as they have been with them for 12 months. They have said they have done nothing other than sit on a pc looking at Job sites. I have complained about this to JC adviser. She has put this in writing and will inform me of outcome. She says that they do not request feed back from service users and people are so worried about loosing their Benefits that they shut up and put up, jumping through as many hoops as they are required to do. I guess I better make sure I have all the information with me. Evidence of all the Jobs I have applied for in the past two weeks. Names, Companies, Phone numbers and outcomes etc.

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